Growth and development of grafted cucumber transplants as affected by seedling ages of scions and rootstocks and light intensity during their cultivation in a closed production system

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of seedling ages of scions and rootstocks for grafting and light intensity during their cultivation in a closed transplant production system on the growth and development of grafted cucumber transplants. Cucumber scions and rootstocks were cultivated under 5 photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) levels: 100, 140, 180, 230, and 280 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ in a closed transplant production system. The scions were grafted onto the rootstocks at 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 days after sowing (DAS). Hypocotyl length of scions and rootstocks decreased significantly as PPF increased, and an increase in dry weight with increasing PPF was more pronounced in scions. After grafting, cucumber transplants were grown in a greenhouse until 22 DAS and were then transplanted for investigation of their growth and development. Plant height, leaf area, and fresh weight of cucumber transplants grafted at 8, 9, and 10 DAS were greater, but light intensity during cultivation of scions and rootstocks did not significantly affect the early growth of cucumber transplants after grafting. The number of female flowers in grafted cucumber after transplanting was highest when scions and rootstocks were cultivated under PPF 140 and 180 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ and were grafted at 8 DAS. These results indicate that controlling environmental conditions in a closed transplant production system during the production of scions and rootstocks can advance grafting time and promote the growth and development of grafted cucumber transplants.